2016 in Review: Our Top 10 Highlights From the Year

If you’ve had your finger on the pulse of social media recently, 2017 can’t get here any faster. But here at Superior Glove, our mentality is to slow down and appreciate the little things. 2016 was a pretty good year for us and we wanted to share some of those special moments. So today, we’re counting down our top 10 favorite moments of 2016.

1. New Plant Opening:

In October, we announced a new addition to our family with the opening of a new plant in Springdale, Newfoundland. Located about two-hours west of our Point Leamington plant, the team is small but mighty. They are responsible for manufacturing our line of Contender™ cut-resistant gloves and Cutban™ protective sleeves.

2. Becoming an ISEA Member:

In August, Superior Glove became a member of the International Safety Equipment Association. The ISEA is the leading association for personal protective equipment and technologies and the ANSI-accredited standard developing organization. By becoming a member, Superior Glove joined a diverse group of international companies committed to protecting the health and safety of workers and promoting the use of personal protective equipment. Below is the picture from our press release at Times Square in New York City.

3. Cut Standard Changes:

We adopted the new ANSI 105-2016 Standard for cut resistance. For the longest time, the ANSI cut levels went up to level five. The problem was that level 4 ranged from 1,500 to 3,499 grams of cut protection. This year marked a big turning point by increasing the levels from five to nine. The new standard also more evenly spread out how much cut protection each level represented. The explainer video below can bring you up to speed on other changes.

4. Fourth Year Canada’s Best Managed Company:

2016 marked our silk anniversary as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies. These are companies that are “strong in strategy, capability, commitment and financial performance. They are all great Canadian business success stories,” said Mike Runia, Ontario Managing Partner, Deloitte and Co-Leader, Canada’s Best Managed Companies program. But it’s easy to be one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies when you have such a great staff!

5. Awards Season!

This year we took home a few prestigious awards including:

The 2016 Readers’ Choice Hand Protection Product Award for being a leader in the health and safety field.

A Best in Show Award at the 2016 National Safety Council for our new anti-impact glove with D3O® backings.

Which leads to our next most memorable moment…

6. Partnership With D3O®:

In May, we partnered with D3O® to up our impact protection game. Normally, we use Thermoplastic Rubber (TPR) to make our gloves impact resistant because TPR has great impact properties. But when it comes to high-risk impact hazards like in the oil and gas industry, D3O® is the best option. The video below explains why:

7. The World’s First 18-Gauge Arc Flash-Rated Glove:

This is the glove that changed all the rules: its hybrid design means that it offers great dexterity and tactile feel but also has good protection from arc flash hazards. It’s scientifically engineered for flame resistance and has 1,125 grams of cut protection because of its Kevlar®-based shell.

8. Dunk the Boss for Charity:

Joe (Superior Glove Vice-President) and I (Superior Glove President) stepped up to the plate and volunteered to be dunked for charity at our Staff BBQ. Our staff must really love donating to a good cause because there was a long line!

9. Reduced our Carbon Footprint:

Protecting the Earth is a cause that is near and dear to my heart and part of what makes Superior Glove so special. We installed an electric vehicle charging station and redeveloped our best selling Canadian-made glove, the Dexterity® NT 15-gauge Cotton Knit with Nitrile Palms so that it is now 100% biodegradable.

10. Scientists in Schools:

During the 2015-2016 school year, we had the opportunity to sponsor every student at three schools in Acton, Ontario and two schools in Newfoundland to be scientists for a day through workshops with the fantastic organization Scientists in School. These workshops take a hands-on approach to promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics in a way that makes learning fun. in 2017, we’re looking forward to sponsoring another school located near our Acton headquarters.

A special thanks goes out to everyone — our customers, distributors, staff and friends — who made 2016 such a success!